Grant and Funding Programs Offered by Theatre New Brunswick Foundation (TNB)

The Theatre New Brunswick Foundation is a dedicated fundraising and grant-making body created in 2003 to reinforce the public profile and long-term financial stability of Theatre New Brunswick, one of Canada’s longstanding regional theatre companies. Operating from New Brunswick, the Foundation channels donations and endowment income into direct support for emerging theatre artists through structured bursary programs.

The Foundation currently administers two principal awards targeted at New Brunswick students pursuing careers in theatre. These bursaries are aimed at full-time studies at recognized institutions, either at the undergraduate level or in professional training programs, and help reduce financial barriers for promising artists from across the province.

The Stephen Graham Bird Award supports New Brunswick residents who demonstrate exceptional talent in acting, directing or playwriting and who are engaged in full-time theatre studies. One award of $3,000 is granted annually, and an individual may receive the award up to four times, applying each year.

The J. Patrick Clark Award focuses on the production side of theatre, providing $3,000 each year to a New Brunswick student pursuing full-time studies in design, stage management or technical production. As with the Bird Award, a recipient can obtain funding in multiple years up to a specified maximum.

Both awards are restricted to New Brunswick residents, defined as Canadian citizens or permanent residents who have lived in the province for at least one year prior to the application deadline. This geographic focus ensures that the Foundation’s resources build a stronger professional theatre community within New Brunswick, increasing the number of qualified artists and technicians working in the region.

The overarching objectives of the Foundation’s bursaries are to assist students who intend to pursue or are already pursuing a professional theatre career, to increase the number of professional theatre artists in New Brunswick, and to encourage the development of New Brunswick talent in theatre arts. The published lists of past recipients and their training institutions demonstrate that the Foundation consistently disburses funds and supports a wide range of educational paths, from Canadian theatre schools to international conservatories.

The Foundation has its own Board of Directors, including a chair, vice-chair, treasurer, secretary, and additional members, and is connected to but distinct from Theatre New Brunswick’s Board of Governors. Through this structure it provides a focused vehicle for donors who wish to invest in the next generation of theatre practitioners, complementing Theatre New Brunswick’s production, touring and theatre school activities while maintaining transparent oversight of its bursary programs.